Viator VIP: Palace of Versailles Small-Group Tour with Private Viewing of the Royal Quarters

See the Palace of Versailles (Château de Versailles) as French kings once did – with this small-group tour that includes a once-in-a-lifetime private viewing of the palace’s Royal Quarters. This exclusive tour gives you priority entrance to Versailles through a reserved door and provides you with unprecedented access to magnificent private rooms – such as Louis XVI’s library – which are normally off-limits to the general public, allowing you to see a side of the UNESCO World-Heritage-listed Palace of Versailles that most never will.

This VIP experience also includes a tour of two rooms in the State Apartments and the famous Hall of Mirrors as soon as the palace opens, before the majority of the crowd arrives. Your priority entrance ticket allows you to go straight inside the palace with your small group (maximum 16 people), beating most of the public to these rooms.

Highlights

Informative, friendly and professional guide

Perfect introduction for first-time visitors

Pickup from a centrally located meeting point

Skip the line

Small-group tour

Your VIP experience begins as you board a luxurious, air-conditioned minivan in central Paris and head west to the Palace of Versailles. On arrival in Versailles enjoy a coffee and croissant in a cafe close to the Palace. Next, meet your knowledgeable guide at the palace’s reserved entrance, and go straight inside with your priority access ticket.

Follow your guide to the State Apartments, where you’ll see two of the 17 rooms – the King’s Chamber and the Council Study. Then head to the fabulous Hall of Mirrors. Your group will be among the first of the general public to arrive at this famous room so you can enjoy the sumptuous setting in all its glory. Walk down the spectacular hall, lined with 357 mirrors that reflect the windows on the opposite wall.

Next, the exclusive part of your tour truly begins as you leave the crowd behind and pass through the velvet ropes into the palace’s restricted area. See the following Royal Quarters of Louis XV and Louis XVI:

The library of Louis XVI, said to be one of his favorite rooms

The dining room where Louis XV held dinners for lords and ladies

The clock room with its clock that has a crystal globe showing the planets revolving around the sun

The ‘corner room,’ which contains a cylinder desk belonging to Louis XV that is considered one of the most outstanding pieces of furniture in the world

You will then visit one of two additional royal sites, depending on daily availability: the Royal Opera House, built in 1770 to celebrate the wedding of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, or the Royal Chapel, where a series of paintings and sculptures depicts the notion that kings were chosen by God.

The guided portion of your tour now ends, and your friendly guide will answer any questions you have. From here, you have a few options to complete your Versailles experience. You can explore the other 15 rooms that make up the public State Apartments independently. You can enjoy lunch at Angelina’s restaurant located inside the palace (own expense). Or you can head outside and enjoy the beautiful Gardens of Versailles – a 1,977-acre (800-hectare) oasis of groves, sculptures, labyrinths and fountains. Depending on the day of the week that you are at the palace, you may catch one of the summer musical events – either the Musical Gardens or the Musical Fountains Show (known as the Grandes Eaux musicales), both of which bring the gardens to life with classical music; see the Itinerary section below for more details.

The gardens are also home to La Petite Venise, a popular restaurant with a lovely terrace, located in the former stables by the Grand Canal. It is your choice if you’d like to eat here, but you must make your way here to meet your guide for the drive back to Paris.

Pricing information

Viator VIP: Palace of Versailles Small-Group Tour with Private Viewing of the Royal Quarters

Inclusions:

Small-group tour (maximum 16 people)

Coffee and croissant

Priority entrance ticket to the Palace of Versailles

Access to the private Royal Quarters

Professional guide

Entrance to Versailles Musical Gardens (Tuesday) or Fountain Display (Saturday and Sunday) from April to October only

Ticket for the Trianon (November to March only)

Transport by air-conditioned minivan with complimentary water for the journey

Exclusions:

Gratuities (optional)

Food and drinks, unless specified

Hotel pickup and drop-off

Additional Information:

Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability

Pre-booking this tour gives you priority access to the Palace of Versailles. Please note: all
visitors must pass through metal detectors at the security check point.
Please expect to wait 10 minutes to clear security.

Food is not allowed inside the Palace of Versailles

This tour is not wheelchair accessible

This tour is not suitable for anyone with reduced mobility

A moderate amount of walking is involved

Due to the nature of this special-access tour, the itinerary changes each time. Access to palace rooms varies and is based on availability. The order in which you visit the rooms may change and it is possible that you will see two of the 17 State Apartments plus the Hall of Mirrors at the end of your tour, not the beginning. On rare occasions, both the Royal Opera House and Chapel unexpectedly close due to private events or concerts. Because these itinerary changes are beyond our control, no refunds or discounts will be issued.

Itinerary:

Tuesday Versailles Gardens Ticket: Classical Music in the GrovesMusical Gardens – Explore the Gardens of Versailles and its groves to the sounds of classical music.

Saturday and Sunday Versailles Gardens Ticket: Summer Opening Fountains ShowMusical Fountains Show (Grandes Eaux musicales) – Watch fountains come alive and spray water in sequence to the Baroque music of Jean-Baptiste Lully, a French composer who served in the court of Louis XIV. The display finishes at the Bassin de Neptune, often considered the palace's finest fountain.

Please note: These shows only run during the summer months from April to October. In the winter, you can still explore the gardens, but there will not be any musical or fountain displays. During the winter months (November to March) a ticket for the Trianon will be included in the tour so you can independently explore Marie-Antoinette's Estate.

Voucher Info:

You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
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Local Operator Information:

Complete Operator information, including local telephone numbers at your destination, are included on your Confirmation Voucher. Our Product Managers select only the most experienced and reliable operators in each destination, removing the guesswork for you, and ensuring your peace of mind.

Traveler Reviews

The tour of the palace was fabulous...well worth the extra for the small group and guide was excellent. It was rainy and cold the day we went so really didn't get to see the grounds.

Reviewed by: Timothy V, July 2015

Both the bus coordinator and the French guide through Versailles were good. The palace guide was especially knowledgeable, answered all questions and was quite funny. This tour was the highlight of our visit to Paris.